Elon Musk Posts 'DEI Means DIE' As California Burns After Officials Spent $500M On DEI Initiatives

Amid the devastating California wildfires, Elon Musk sparked controversy with an X post declaring, "DEI Means DIE." His bold statement comes after it was revealed that California state agencies have invested a staggering £406 million ($500 million) into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Musk's X post suggests that California's reported £406 million ($500 million) investment in DEI programs may be diverting resources away from crucial wildfire management efforts. This claim has sparked intense criticism as the state battles devastating blazes.

DEI Under Fire

Musk's comment was made in response to an X post by conservative activist and former music video director Robby Starbuck. Starbuck's post questioned the impact of DEI initiatives on the severity of the California wildfires, asking, 'Do you really think that DEI really made the damage from these fires worse?'

'Uh yeah, I do. DEI was the fire chief's focus, and the department + the city spent money on DEI while dangerous brush hadn't been cleared and fire hydrants didn't have water,' he added. 'DEI IS ACTUALLY DEADLY.'

Starbuck's post also included a video featuring Kristin M. Crowley, who in 2022 became the first woman and LGBTQ+ individual to lead the Los Angeles Fire Department. Starbuck commented that 'DEI was the fire chief's focus and the department's.'

Musk's tweet sparked a heated debate, with reactions ranging from strong support to fierce condemnation. 'Hire the most qualified; it's that simple, especially for life-saving jobs,' an X user wrote.

Joe Maristela, a Filipino healthcare entrepreneur, said, 'Blaming DEI for empty fire hydrants overlooks the real issue: poor infrastructure and maintenance.'

DEI Under Fire: Beyond Budget Concerns

Beyond the significant budgetary allocations, the focus on DEI initiatives has drawn criticism from various corners. For example, prominent media personality Megyn Kelly has accused the Los Angeles Fire Chief of prioritising diversity over essential disaster preparedness measures.

The former Fox journalist criticised Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley for prioritising DEI training over wildfire preparedness. 'In recent years, LA's fire chief has made not filling the fire hydrants top priority, but diversity,' she noted on The Megyn Kelly Show.

'Diversity is at least among the top priorities for the Department.' Kelly highlighted an interview where Crowley expressed her commitment to increasing the representation of women and LGBTQ+ individuals within the Los Angeles Fire Department.

'Who gives a s**t if the fire chief is gay I'm sorry but who gives a flying fig about who she likes to sleep with can you fight the f**king fires madam that's the relevant question,' Kelly added. 'We don't care about your lady parts and we don't care who you want having access to them can you fight fires can you make sure there's water in the fire hydrants?'

When Diversity Becomes A Distraction

She also pointed out that Crowley's focus on DEI initiatives seemed misplaced, particularly given the severe drought conditions currently affecting Ventura County. 'I don't care who turns you on and you know why they have only a hundred women in a in a squad of 3,300?' Kelly asked.

'Women tend to be small smaller and not as strong and unless you lower the requirements to become a firefighter most women can't pass the test trust me.' Kelly dismissed Crowley's efforts to promote inclusivity as 'absurd' and ridiculed her previous statements regarding employee training programs.

'I don't give a s**t about how you're taking care of somebody inside the firehouse, take care of me and my home and my kids and my animals when the fires hit, that's your real job,' she raged.

Is California Paying Too Much?

According to Fox News Digital, California's state Fish and Wildlife Department allocated nearly £40643 ($50,000) for 'racial equity' training programs as part of its DEI initiatives. 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is becoming California's newest billion-dollar industry — on the taxpayer's dime,' CORE lead researcher Will Coggin told the outlet.

'It's everywhere from kindergarten classrooms to the Department of Fish and Wildlife,' said Coggin. 'Instead of effectively addressing issues like housing, crime or homelessness, California officials have chosen to line the pockets of well-connected diversity consultants,' he continued.

English author, broadcaster and opinion column writer Richard Littlejohn expressed his concerns in a MailOnline report, noting: 'Public sector organisations, from Government departments and Town Halls to the police and fire brigade, employ more than 10,000 full-time diversity enforcers, on an average salary of £42,000 a year.'

'Celebrating diversity at the taxpayers' expense is the country's fastest-growing job creation scheme,' he added.